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Lunar eclipse observed at Ur in Mesopotamia. The oldest known recording of a lunar eclipse took place at Ur more than 4000 years ago.
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Chinese begin centuries long series of obs of eclipses. Chinese astronomers recorded 900 solar and 600 lunar eclipses over a period of 2600 years.
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Dante describes medieval picture of universe in "Divine Comedy". Dante's picture of the universe has the Earth at its center, surrounded by the spheres of the Moon, Sun, planets, the fixed stars, a crystalline sphere and, finally, paradise.
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Hesiod describes practical uses for astronomy. Hesiod's poem The Works and Days contains practical astronomical advice for navigation and for agricultural activities.
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Thales said to have predicted solar eclipse. The eclipse took place during a battle between the Lydians and the Persians. They were so stunned by the eclipse they ended the battle
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Xenophanes concludes that the Earth is very old. Xenophanes reasoned that stratified rocks were laid down as layers of sediments on the ocean floor. Given the thickness of the rocks, he concluded that the Earth is ancient.
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Herodotus concludes Earth is at least thousands of years old. Herodotus reasoned that it would have taken millenia for the annual Nile flood to have produced the Nile delta.
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Aristotle argues celestial bodies are spheres. Aristotle used a number of proofs that the Earth is a sphere, including the observation that its shadow on the Moon during lunar eclipses is always a circle.
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Aristarchus finds relative dimensions of solar system. Aristarchus concluded that the Earth was much smaller than the distances to the celestial bodies. He also invented a heliocentric (Sun-centered) model for the solar system.
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Ulugh Beg builds observatory at Samarkand. Beg also compiled a star catalog based on his own observations.
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Columbus uses lunar eclipse prediction to influence Arawaks. From his almanac, Columbus knew that a lunar eclipse would occur on February 29. He impressed the Arawaks with his accurate prediction that the Moon would rise "inflamed with wrath".
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William Gilbert proposes Earth has dipole magnetic field. Gilbert proposed that the Earth acts like a big magnet whose field aligns the small magnet used as a compass needle.
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